


Fear

by theescapist99



Category: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (Movies), Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Awkward Newt, M/M, angsty credence, but interpet it however you want idc lol, but it was a prompt none the less, graves pov, it could be interpretted as unrequited love, it was my own prompt, old fic, pissed off graves, pretty much my three favorite characterizations, since credence doesnt exactly say much, wrote this for a prompt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-20
Updated: 2017-01-20
Packaged: 2018-09-18 19:35:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,063
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9399980
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/theescapist99/pseuds/theescapist99
Summary: Graves walks in on Credence, and -- himself. Again.Granted, what he is actually walking in on is Credence with a boggart.But he doesn't know that.(I posted this on Tumblr a few days ago but since I decided to actively write as of literally yesterday, I'll post it here now.)





	

 

Percival couldn’t believe it.

_How? Why?_

Had Grindlewald broken out?

He hadn’t heard anything. Tina had not mentioned a thing, and they were currently at her home. Having stayed the night at her place, he had seen her just hours before. She was not here now though, so it _could_ be possible he may have broken in just barely. Serphina must not be aware, or she’d be calling everyone in right away. And yet, here he was, gazing at the physical embodiment of his own reflection once more. A man wearing his clothes.

His face.

Flashbacks, brief but sickening went through his mind. It all came back. Being locked away in some unknown cellar, bound and gagged as he watched a man who looked just like him walking freely about. Smirking, gloating, taunting. Bragging about all the time he was spending with…

Credence.

He was so shocked to see the return of his doppleganger, that he had taken a moment to notice the shivering humanoid lump on the ground before him. Credence was on his knees, once again trembling with fear. A helplessness that had only somewhat receded since Tina agreed to let her stay with him, back with a vengeance.

And not without good reason.

Grindlewald (?) looked menacing indeed. That same smirk twisted his lips. Within his hands lay a brown leather belt that looked similar to the one Credence used to always wear before Tina’s hospitality.

He had a hungry expression on his face. An expression that Graves had wondered if he had inadvertently used on Credence now and then, but different still. For there was no affection or admiration in his eyes – only possessiveness and perhaps a bit of lust.

A hunger, to use him like the weapon only Grindlewald could see him as.

_It won’t happen._

He had promised himself to never let harm befall Credence again.

 _No matter what spells he has to use_ , he thought as a green flash went through his imaginations eye.

He certainly knew he had the emotional motivation to do so, should he choose to.

He _would._

Not just for himself, or for the good of the wizarding world.

But first and foremost _must_ protect Credence.

Neither Credence or Grindlewald had yet to notice him. Thanks to his skill as an experienced auror, he had managed to stay hidden behind a doorframe, as he assessed the situation. In reality only a few seconds had passed since he stumbled on the scene. It felt like hours.

And now, finally, Grindlewald began to reach for Credence, who was still frozen in fear. Muffled sobs and apologizes coming from a bowed head.

**No.**

Graves jumped from his place, both panic and fury flaring. But before he could utter the unforgivable words on the tip of his tongue, another voice boomed.

“Riddikulus!”

A very many things happened very quickly.

Grindlewald had vanished. What was standing before Credence now was what appeared to be a niffler in a Mexican sombrero. Percival stared in confusion. Another moment later, the niffler scurried away and vanished.

Credence was still cowering, likely still afraid to look up. His shoulders still shaking. Percival began to stride towards him but just as he did, Newt simultaneously walked in through another doorway on the left side of the room. Percival looked at him incredulously. It was not unusual for Newt to be here, it was Tina’s home after all. But he still had no idea what on earth just happened, his emotions still in a flurry of anger, fear, and frustration.

Newt said nothing to him, but immediately went to Credence and knelt down by his side. Only when Credence felt Newt’s hand on his shoulder did he finally look up. Newt smiled at him gently and sadly, and he glanced in Percival’s direction briefly before saying, “I’m _so_ sorry, Tina warned me there was a boggart that resided behind that shelf but I don’t think that anyone got around to telling you that, did they?”

 _Oh_.

It hit Percival like a hard slap in the face.

_A boggart._

_Of course._

Tina had mentioned to him on several occasions that she had a boggart problem. It just didn’t exactly cross his mind when he walked upon the very scene he had been having so many nightmares over for the past month.

If the initial realization that it was a boggart and not Grindlewald had hit him hard, the next epiphany he had was nothing short of a sucker punch.

This had not been Graves’s boggart. Graves had just happened to walk in on the scene, after the boggart had already transformed.

This is _Credence’_ _s_ boggart.

His greatest fear — was _**him.**_

Percival came out of his reverie just in time to see Credence finally look up at him. The sight of his face made Percival’s stomach drop. Suddenly, he felt almost as sick as he had when he thought Grindlewald had broken out. The red eyes and the swollen lips were one thing. But the fear – the fear was palpable.

The fear. The doubt. The hesitation.

The question in his eyes: _is that really you? How can I be sure?_

_How can I **ever** be sure?_

Percival barely noticed he was chewing on his bottom lip. Newt was looking at the floor, and seemed to be unsure as to what to say. For once, he and Percival had something in common.

Actually, Percival wanted to say a great many things.

 _I’m sorry,_ for one. _I’m so so sorry that this bastard not only had to drag me down, but that he brought you with me. I’m sorry that you thought I betrayed you so much, I became your greatest fear. You, who has already been through so much undeserved trauma. You, who should have been loved by everyone – a proper set of parents, some friends your own age…_

 _ **Me**_.

But Percival has never been good with apologies. Hes never been good with emotions in general. Or expressing them. In his mind, he felt that there were no amount of “sorrys” that could ever make up for what happened. That could do justice to his guilt. Even a hundred of them felt like not enough. Like they would just be an insult.

 So, knowing Newt would likely be kind enough to see to Credence and make sure he’s alright, Percival simply turned heel and walked away.

 

**Author's Note:**

> find me on https://phantasmiicparade.tumblr.com/


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